This just a page for things that I've collected over time. Usually it's sometime that someone else has said, but calls to me. It rings true to my ethos and existence.

It's far from definitive and not organised well, but it's a start to capture what I believe in. This is a continuous work in progress. And no, I don't care if you disagree with anything on this page. It's for me.

On designing the web

When thinking about creating the rules that would underlay the web:

I had to create a system with common rules that would be acceptable to everyone. That meant, as close as possible to no rules at all.

Simplicity always wins, and stripping as much back as possible is the way to that simplicity.

Is this the best a man can get?

I know this is (just) a marketing campaign, but it moved me to tears and I love the message it provides and it is one that I would happily play again and again in my head.

On political correctness

A man whose words I will always have time for, Stephen Fry takes the "other side" of the argument, and articulates why he doesn't believe political correctness works. This is just a short quote from an 8 minute clip, all of which is worth watching. Interesting and refreshing views.

My real objection is that I don't think political correctness works. I want to get to the Golden Hill, but I don't think that's the way to get there.

I believe one of the greatest human failings, is to prefer to be right than to be effective, and political correctness is always obsessed with how right it is without thinking of how effective it it might be.

Looking for the blank canvas

Culture shifting

This is how culture shifts work - what we are prepared to accept and call out changes over time as our community values shift more towards inclusiveness and empathy and we raise our standards for the what we’re prepared to challenge or ignore.

When trying to sell (yourself)

How to be perfectly unhappy

But those feelings are ephemeral. Being "happy" implies permanence. It implies you completed all the prerequisites. And now you get to sit atop your giant pile of happy forever.

This comic, somehow describes exactly how I've always felt about being "happy". I've never been able to say, truthfully, that I was happy. I found this today and it says what I've never been able to articulate.

Links

Remy Sharp

I'm a JavaScript developer working professionally on the web since 1999. I run my own consultancy, build products, run training, speak at conferences and curate the UK's best JavaScript conference. You can hire me too.